Many employers expect would-be journalists to work unpaid for long periods. It's a practice that exploits people starting out in the industry and in many cases it's actually unlawful.

The union's own work experience guidelines detail how work experience placements should be run to ensure that everyone benefits. However, in too many cases bogus work experience is used by employers to get work done for free.

An NUJ survey of former student members showed the extent of the problem, with some instances of journalism graduates working for months on end without pay.

Not only is this practice exploitative of new starters in the industry. It is also has an impact on jobs in the industry, as employers look to use internships to fill gaps left by cutbacks. It also restricts access to journalism to people who can afford to work for long periods unpaid, or who have friends and family near where many of the placements can be found, often London and the south east of England.

The union is challenging the practice of exploitative work experience placements through political action and by using our industrial structures.

We're campaigning to ensure the UK government does more to stamp out exploitative practices. In many cases people on internships or work experience placements are entitled to payment under the minimum wage legislation. However, employers use a volunteer exemption, which was designed to cover senior executives and people giving up their time to work for charities, to avoid payment.

We're lobbying to improve enforcement of these rules. We're also working with other bodies in the industry, including training organisations, to stamp out exploitation and spread best practice.

However, we can also make a difference by considering these issues at a local level. We make sure that NUJ chapels (workplace branches) are aware of the union's own work experience guidelines. We also ask them to include policies for work placements in their local agreements with management.

If you have any comments to make about work experience in your organisation or have undertaken a period of un-paid employment since qualifying as a journalist then please email nameandshame@nuj.org.uk so that we can compile a dossier of the employers breaking minimum regulations. All emails are treated with the strictest confidentiality, and names are not used without permission.

If you're studying journalism or working on student media then why not get involved with the NUJ. Find out more about NUJ student membership.

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